NOVA Parks and Fairfax County officials and staff honored in a celebration for the gift of an additional 32 acres to the Pohick Regional Park with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Lorton park on June 11. The land was donated by Lorton-based Colchester Land Company. This donation significantly extends the park’s more than 400 acres, adding wetlands, woods, and a half-mile of Occoquan river shoreline to the Park’s holdings, primarily for conservation.
Donated 32 acres includes woods, wetlands, and riverfront in Occoquan adjacent to I-95
According to Burke Connection, "Local business partners Laing Hinson and Bill Lynch were on hand to cut the ribbon with Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay, and Mount Vernon District Supervisor Dan Storck, in a small ceremony, sized in consideration of the Covid-19 limits on public gatherings. As noted by Michael Nardolilli, Chairman, NOVA Parks Board, celebrating park space in time of trouble has historic precedent. Congress passed the act that established the Grand Canyon National Park in February 1919 in the midst of the Spanish Flu epidemic that lasted from Spring 1918 to Summer 1919; the flu likened to Covid-19 for its impact and deadliness. Praising the importance of the donation, Chairman McKay observed that in troubled times such as these, “parks are a great equalizer… [All being able to] come out to parks that are free, kids, and adults alike, at a time when our mental health is being challenged every minute of every day, has been so valuable. People are looking at parks as an absolute necessity to our quality of life in Fairfax County. …They are looking at environmental stewardship in a whole different way."
As per Burke Connection, "Nardolilli further praised the donation as “remarkable” for its value as a riparian vegetative buffer; positively impacting water quality along the Occoquan River. Scientists consider a 35-foot buffer minimal for promoting healthy water, and 150 feet as optimal; this donation provides a superior 175-foot vegetative buffer."
Maryam N. is a Senior Writer at Nesbitt Realty. She is an expert on Fairfax County. Maryam has also worked previously as a geologist. She is a foodie and enjoys cooking and exploring new restaurants.
